The Affordable Care Act as a National Experiment (PDF)

The landmark 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), "Obamacare," was the largest healthcare policy innovation in the United States in 50 years, and it has generated strong opinions and debate across public, political, and policy arenas.

Examining the innovation of the ACA as a health policy experiment, The Affordable Care Act as a National Experiment was published by Springer in 2014. Now, six years later, following an election year in which the ACA remained hotly debated, this second edition further examines the history, lessons, and impact of this ground-breaking legislation.

Written by national healthcare policy leaders involved in the ACA's creation and implementation, this book addresses questions around patient protection under the ACA, delves into Medicaid expansion and insurance reform, assesses the Supreme Court review of the ACA, and sheds light on the related social determinants of health. It also provides informative stories of the uninsured. It discusses the stabilization of the ACA, and concludes with a summary of potential next steps and the push for universal healthcare.

This second edition further underscores that to improve access to medical care and the public's health, we must innovate - and to innovate is to experiment. It makes clear that the ACA is a "translational medical research" experiment - an experiment aimed at translating best medical knowledge into improvements in health. And it shows that, like any medical experiment, its results will point to needed next steps.

We hope this text becomes an essential resource for healthcare providers, policy makers, and academics.